Social determinants of health and outcome disparities in spine tumor surgery. Part 2: Neighborhood disadvantage and long-term outcomes.

OBJECTIVE: Neighborhood-level resource disadvantage has been previously shown to predict extent of resection, oncological follow-up, adjuvant treatment, and clinical trial participation for malignancies, including glioblastoma. The authors aimed to characterize the association between neighborhood disadvantage and long-term outcomes after spine tumor surgery. METHODS: The authors analyzed all patients who underwent surgery for primary or secondary (all metastatic pathologies) spine tumors at a single spinal oncology specialty center in the United States from 2015 to 2022. The Area Deprivation Index (ADI), a validated metric compositing 17 social determinants of health variables that ranges continuously from 0% (higher advantage) to 100% (higher disadvantage), was used to quantify neighborhood disadvantage. Patient addresses were matched to ADI on the basis of the census block of residence. Subsequently, the study population was dichotomized into advantaged (ADI 0%-33%) and disadvantaged (ADI 34%-100%) cohorts. The primary endpoint was functional status, as defined by Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) Performance Status Scale grade, with secondary endpoints including inpatient outcomes, mortality, readmissions, reoperations, and clinical research participation. Multivariable logistic, gamma log-link, and Cox regression adjusted for 14 confounders, including patient and oncological characteristics, general and tumor-related presenting severity, and treatment. RESULTS: In total, 237 patients underwent spine tumor surgery from 2015 to 2022, with an average age of 53.9 years, and 57.0% had primary tumors whereas 43.0% had secondary tumors; 55.3% (n = 131) were classified by ADI into the disadvantaged cohort. This cohort had higher rates of ambulation deficits on presentation (39.1% vs 23.5%, p = 0.015) and nonelective surgery (35.1% vs 23.6%, p = 0.030). Postoperatively, disadvantaged patients exhibited higher odds of residual tumor (OR 2.55, p = 0.026), especially for secondary tumors (OR 4.92, p = 0.045). Patients from disadvantaged neighborhoods additionally exhibited significantly higher odds of poor functional status at follow-up (OR 3.94, p = 0.002). Postoperative survival was 74.7% (mean follow-up 17.6 months), with the disadvantaged cohort experiencing significantly shorter survival (HR 1.92, p = 0.049). Moreover, this population had higher odds of readmission (OR 1.92, p = 0.046) and, for primary tumors, reoperation (OR 9.26, p = 0.005). Elective participation in prospective clinical research was lower among the disadvantaged cohort (OR 0.45, p = 0.016). CONCLUSIONS: Neighborhood disadvantage predicts higher rates of residual tumor, readmission, and reoperation, as well as poorer functional status, shorter postoperative survival, and decreased elective research participation. The ADI may be used to risk stratify spine oncology patients and guide targeted interventions to ameliorate neurosurgical disparities and to reduce barriers to research participation.

Social determinants of health and outcome disparities in spine tumor surgery. Part 1: An analysis of 6.6 million nationwide admissions.

OBJECTIVE: Earlier research has demonstrated that social determinants of health (SDoH) impact neurosurgical access and outcomes, but these trends are less characterized for spine tumors relative to intracranial tumors. The authors aimed to elucidate the association between SDoH and outcomes for a nationwide cohort of spine tumor surgery admissions. METHODS: The authors identified all admissions with a spine tumor diagnosis in the National Inpatient Sample (NIS) from 2002 to 2019. Four SDoH were analyzed: race and ethnicity, insurance, household income, and safety-net hospital (SNH) treatment. Hospitals in the top quartile of safety-net burden (in terms of percentage of patients receiving Medicaid or uninsured) were categorized as SNHs. Multivariable regression queried the association between 22 variables and 5 perioperative outcomes: mortality, discharge disposition, complications, length of stay (LOS), and hospitalization costs. Interaction term analysis with hospitalization year was used to assess longitudinal changes in outcome disparities. Finally, the authors constructed random forest machine learning models to assess the impact of SDoH variables on prognostic accuracy and to quantify the relative importance of predictors for disposition. RESULTS: Of 6,593,392 total admissions with spine tumors, 219,380 (3.3%) underwent surgery. Non-White race (OR 0.80-0.91, p < 0.001) and nonprivate insurance (OR 0.76-0.83, p < 0.001) were associated with lower odds of receiving surgery. Among surgical admissions, presenting severity, including of myelopathy and plegia, was elevated among non-White, nonprivate insurance, and low-income admissions (all p < 0.001). Black race (OR 0.70, p < 0.001), Medicare (OR 0.70, p < 0.001), Medicaid (OR 0.90, p < 0.001), and lower income (OR 0.88-0.93, all p < 0.001) were associated with decreased odds of favorable discharge disposition. Increased LOS and costs were observed among non-White (+6%-10% in LOS and +5%-9% in costs, both p < 0.001) and Medicaid (+16% in LOS and +6% in costs, both p < 0.001) admissions. SNH treatment was also associated with higher mortality (OR 1.49, p < 0.001) and complication (OR 1.20, p < 0.001) rates. From 2002 to 2019, disposition improved annually for Medicaid patients (OR 1.03 per year, p = 0.022) but worsened for Black patients (OR 0.98 per year, p = 0.046). Random forest models identified household income as the most important predictor of discharge disposition. CONCLUSIONS: For spine tumor admissions, SDoH predicted surgical intervention, presenting severity, and perioperative outcomes. Over 2 decades, disparities improved for Medicaid patients but worsened for Black patients. Finally, SDoH significantly improve prognostic accuracy for outcomes after spine tumor surgery. Further study toward ameliorating patient disparities for this population is warranted.

Population analysis of ischemic stroke burden and risk factors in the United States in the pre- and post-mechanical thrombectomy eras.

OBJECTIVES: To provide an updated analysis of the burden of ischemic stroke in the United States. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Using the Global Burden of Disease database, we estimated age-standardized, population-adjusted rates of incidence, prevalence, mortality, and disability-adjusted life years from 2010 to 2019, with regional comparisons. Deaths and disability-adjusted life years were compared in 2010-2014 and 2015-2019 to assess the potential effect of increased mechanical thrombectomy use. The attributable, disability-adjusted life years for twenty risk factors were estimated, ranked, and trended. RESULTS: Incident ischemic strokes decreased by 11.4 % across the study period from 65.7 (55.9-77.3) to 58.2 (49.0-69.5) per 100,000. Prevalence (-8.2 %), mortality (-1.9 %), and disability-adjusted life years (-4.4 %) all declined. All regions showed reductions in all burden measures, with the South consistently having the highest burden yet the largest reduction in incidence (-12.6 %) and prevalence (-10.5 %). Deaths (p < 0.0001) and DALYs (p < 0.0001) significantly differed between the pre- and post-mechanical thrombectomy eras. Total attributable disability-adjusted life years for all risk factors decreased from 304.7 (258.5-353.2) in 2010 to 288.9 (242.2-337.2) in 2019. In 2019, the risk factors with the most disability-adjusted life years were hypertension, hyperglycemia, and obesity with no state-based differences. Across the study period, disability-adjusted life years attributable to leading risk factors decreased among men but decreased less or increased among women. CONCLUSIONS: The burden of ischemic stroke decreased during the study period. Declines in deaths and disability-adjusted life years suggest a mitigating impact of mechanical thrombectomy. While disability-adjusted life years attributable to leading risk factors decreased, sex-based disparities were observed.

Disparities in Primary Spinal Osseous Malignant Bone Tumor Survival by Medicaid Status: A National Population-Based Risk Analysis.

BACKGROUND: The impact of Medicaid status on survival outcomes of patients with spinal primary malignant bone tumors (sPMBT) has not been investigated. METHODS: Using the SEER-Medicaid database, adults diagnosed between 2006 and 2013 with sPMBT including chordoma, osteosarcoma, chondrosarcoma, Ewing sarcoma, or malignant giant cell tumor (GCT) were studied. Five-year survival analysis was performed using the Kaplan-Meier method. Adjusted survival analysis was performed using Cox proportional-hazards regression controlling for age, sex, marital status, cancer stage, poverty level, vertebral versus sacral location, geography, rurality, tumor diameter, tumor grade, tumor histology, and therapy. RESULTS: A total of 572 patients with sPMBT (Medicaid: 59, non-Medicaid: 513) were identified. Medicaid patients were more likely to be younger (P < 0.001), Black (P < 0.001), live in high poverty neighborhoods (P = 0.006), have distant metastases at diagnosis (P < 0.001), and less likely to receive surgery (P = 0.006). The 5-year survival rate was 65.7% (chondrosarcoma: 70.0%, chordoma: 91.5%, Ewing sarcoma: 44.6%, GCT: 90.0%, osteosarcoma: 34.2%). Medicaid patients had significantly worse 5-year survival than non-Medicaid patients (52.0% vs. 67.2%, P = 0.02). Minority individuals on Medicaid were associated with an increased risk of cancer-specific mortality compared with White non-Medicaid patients (adjusted hazard ratio [aHR] = 2.51, [95% CI 1.18-5.35], P = 0.017). Among Medicaid patients, those who received surgery had significantly better survival than those who did not (64.5% vs. 30.6%, P = 0.001). For all patients, not receiving surgery (aHR = 1.90 [1.23-2.95], P = 0.004) and tumor diameter >50 mm (aHR=1.89 [1.10-3.25], P = 0.023) were associated with an increased risk of mortality. CONCLUSIONS: Medicaid patients may be less likely to receive surgery and suffer from poorer survival. These disparities may be especially prominent among minorities.

The forgotten protection factor: A nationwide score-based assessment of motorcycle eye protection legislation.

INTRODUCTION: Motorcycle accidents cause millions of deaths and injuries globally. It is estimated that billions of dollars would be saved in the United States alone if safety equipment, such as helmets and eye protection, was ubiquitously worn. Legislation concerning eye protection specifically is understudied and poorly characterized. METHOD: We reviewed all motorcycle-related safety equipment laws in all 50 states of the United States for information regarding eye protection. We graded the rigor of each statute using our six-category Eye Safety Metric and performed a comparative analysis of statutes across all jurisdictions. RESULTS: Fourteen states did not have any statutes regarding eye protection. Among states that did, 23 states had weak statutes (0-2 points), 20 states had moderately stringent statutes (3-4 points), and 7 states had strong statutes (5-6 points). States in western United States tended to have less strict eye protection laws. Twenty-six states had eye protection exemptions for windshields, which are a poor form of eye protection. Six states that had universal helmet laws had no laws requiring eye protection. CONCLUSIONS: We characterized eye protection legislation across the country and found great diversity in the stringency of laws across all jurisdictions. Despite only two states lacking helmet laws, we found that 14 states lacked eye protection laws. These findings from our Eye Safety Metric can be used as a springboard for future research, which can be used to determine the need for and significance of eye safety legislation for motorcyclists and to inform legislative decision-making. PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS: With this research, we hope to further the understanding of legislation regarding eye protection for motorcyclists and help policymakers identify states that need improved eye safety standards.

Analysis of Uveal Melanoma 5-Year Survival Rates by Medicaid Status: A Nationwide Analysis.

PURPOSE: The survival outcomes of patients with primary uveal melanomas based on Medicaid status have not been previously discussed in the literature. METHODS: The Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results Medicaid database were utilized to identify patients with primary uveal melanomas diagnosed between 2006 and 2013. The Kaplan-Meier method was utilized to construct 5-year survival curves in adult, non-elderly patients. Log-rank testing was used to determine differences in survival rates, and multivariate Cox proportional hazards modeling was utilized to perform adjusted survival analysis. RESULTS: A total of 1,765 patients were included (Medicaid: 81, non-Medicaid: 1684). A total of 1683 (95.4%) were White. The average age was 51.75 years (SD = 9.5 years). Medicaid patients were more likely to be unmarried, live in a high poverty neighborhood, and live in a rural area (all p < .001). We observed no significant difference in 5-year survival rates between those enrolled in Medicaid (86.6%, 95% CI: 79.1%1-94.7%) and those not enrolled in Medicaid (85.5, 95% CI: 83.8%-87.2%) (p = .80). After controlling for socioeconomic and clinical factors, Medicaid enrollment was not associated with an increased risk of mortality compared to non-Medicaid enrollment. Age (aHR: 1.04, 95% CI: 1.02-1.06, p < .001) and tumor size >10 mm (aHR: 3.04, 95% CI: 1.49-6.21, p = .002) were associated with an increased risk of mortality. CONCLUSION: Medicaid enrollment was not associated with worse cancer-specific 5-year survival. Further research needs to be elicited to better understand the role of Medicaid enrollment in patients with primary uveal melanoma.

The epidemiology of crib-related head injuries: A ten-year nationwide analysis.

INTRODUCTION: Falls from cribs resulting in head injury are understudied and poorly characterized. The purpose of this study was to advance current understanding of the prevalence, descriptive characteristics of injury victims, and the types of crib fall-related head injuries (CFHI) using queried patient cases from the National Electronic Injury Surveillance System (NEISS) database. METHODS: Using the US Consumer Product Safety Commission's System NEISS database, we queried all CFHIs among children from over 100 emergency departments (EDs). Patient information regarding age, race, sex, location of the incident, diagnoses, ED disposition, and sequelae were analyzed. The number of CFHI from all US EDs during each year was also collected from the database. RESULTS: There were an estimated 54,799 (95% CI: 30,228-79,369) total visits to EDs for CFHIs between 2012 and 2021, with a decrease in incidence of approximately 20% during the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic (2019: 5616 cases, 2020: 4459 cases). The annual incidence of injuries showed no significant trend over the 10-year study period. An available subset of 1782 cases of head injuries from approximately 100 EDs was analyzed, and 1442 cases were included in final analysis. Injuries were sorted into three primary categories: unspecified closed head injury (e.g., closed head injury, blunt head trauma, or traumatic brain injury), concussion, or open head injury and skull fracture. Unspecified closed head injuries were the most common of all head injuries (95.4%, 1376/1442). Open head injuries (14/1442, 0.97%) and concussions 3.6% (52/1442, 3.6%) were rare. Most injuries involved children under the age of 1 (42.6%) compared to children who were 1, 2, 3, or 4-years old. About a fourth of patients had other diagnoses in addition to their primary injury including scalp/forehead hematomas, emesis, and contusions. Female patients were more likely to present with other diagnoses in addition to their primary head injury (Difference: 12.3%, 95% CI: 9.87%-15.4%, p < .0001). CONCLUSION: Despite minimum rail height requirements set by the Consumer Safety Product Commission (CPSC), head injuries associated with crib falls are prevalent in the United States. However, most injuries were minor with a vast majority of patients being released following examination and treatment.

Optimizing surgical management of facet cysts of the lumbar spine: systematic review, meta-analysis, and local case series of 1251 patients.

OBJECTIVE: Lumbar facet cysts (LFCs) can cause neurological dysfunction and intractable pain. Surgery is the current standard of care for patients in whom conservative therapy fails, those with neurological deficits, and those with evidence of spinal instability. No study to date has comprehensively examined surgical outcomes comparing the multiple surgical treatment options for LFCs. Therefore, the authors aimed to perform a combined analysis of cases both in the literature and of patients at a single institution to compare the outcomes of various surgical treatment options for LFC. METHODS: The authors performed a literature review in accordance with PRISMA guidelines and meta-analysis of the PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane Library databases and reviewed all studies from database inception published until February 3, 2023. Studies that did not contain 3 or more cases, clearly specify follow-up durations longer than 6 months, or present new cases were excluded. Bias was evaluated using Cochrane Collaboration's Risk of Bias in Nonrandomised Studies-of Interventions (ROBINS-I). The authors also reviewed their own local institutional case series from 2015 to 2020. Primary outcomes were same-level cyst recurrence, same-level revision surgery, and perioperative complications. ANOVA, common and random-effects modeling, and Wald testing were used to compare treatment groups. RESULTS: A total of 1251 patients were identified from both the published literature (29 articles, n = 1143) and the authors' institution (n = 108). Patients were sorted into 5 treatment groups: open cyst resection (OCR; n = 720), tubular cyst resection (TCR; n = 166), cyst resection with arthrodesis (CRA; n = 165), endoscopic cyst resection (ECR; n = 113), and percutaneous cyst rupture (PCR; n = 87), with OCR being the analysis reference group. The PCR group had significantly lower complication rates (p = 0.004), higher recurrence rates (p < 0.001), and higher revision surgery rates (p = 0.001) compared with the OCR group. Patients receiving TCR (3.01%, p = 0.021) and CRA (0.0%, p < 0.001) had significantly lower recurrence rates compared with those undergoing OCR (6.36%). The CRA group (6.67%) also had significantly lower rates of revision surgery compared with the OCR group (11.3%, p = 0.037). CONCLUSIONS: While PCR is less invasive, it may have high rates of same-level recurrence and revision surgery. Recurrence and revision rates for modalities such as ECR were not significantly different from those of OCR. While concomitant arthrodesis is more invasive, it might lead to lower recurrence rates and lower rates of subsequent revision surgery. Given the limitations of our case series and literature review, prospective, randomized studies are needed.

Disparities in primary pancreatic adenocarcinoma survival by Medicaid-status: A national population-based risk analysis.

BACKGROUND: Pancreatic adenocarcinoma (PAC) has one of the highest mortality rates among all malignancies. While previous research has analyzed socioeconomic factors' effect on PAC survival, outcomes of Medicaid patients are understudied. METHODS: Using the SEER-Medicaid database, we studied non-elderly, adult patients with primary PAC diagnosed between 2006 and 2013. Five-year disease-specific survival analysis was performed using the Kaplan-Meier method and adjusted analysis using Cox proportional-hazards regression. RESULTS: Among 15,549 patients (1799 Medicaid, 13,750 non-Medicaid), Medicaid patients were less likely to receive surgery (p < .001) and more likely to be non-White (p < .001). The 5-year survival of non-Medicaid patients (8.13%, 274 days [270-280]) was significantly higher than that of Medicaid patients (4.97%, 152 days, [151-182], p < .001). Among Medicaid patients, those in high poverty areas had significantly lower survival rates (152 days [122-154]) than those in medium poverty areas (182 days [157-213], p = .008). However, non-White (152 days [150-182]) and White Medicaid patients (152 days [150-182]) had similar survival (p = .812). On adjusted analysis, Medicaid patients were still associated with a significantly higher risk of mortality (aHR 1.33 [1.26-1.41], p < .0001) compared to non-Medicaid patients. Unmarried status and rurality were associated with a higher risk of mortality (p < .001). DISCUSSION: Medicaid enrollment prior to PAC diagnosis was generally associated with a higher risk of disease-specific mortality. While there was no difference in the survival between White and non-White Medicaid patients, Medicaid patients living in high poverty areas were shown to be associated with poor survival.

Pediatric all-terrain vehicle (ATV) related head injury rates and patterns: A 10-year nationwide analysis.

INTRODUCTION: The use of all-terrain vehicles (ATVs) carries significant risk of permanent injury and death, disproportionately affecting children. These injuries commonly affect the head and are especially severe among children as they are often unhelmeted and more likely than adults to experience rollover injuries. Many studies examining patients with ATV-related injuries are single-center cohort studies, with few focusing specifically on head injuries. In the present study, we aimed to characterize the annual incidence of ATV-related head injuries between 2012 and 2021, classify and compare head injury types, and identify descriptive characteristics of ATV-related head injury victims. METHODS: Using the US Consumer Product Safety Commission's National Electronic Injury Surveillance System (NEISS) database, we queried all head injuries associated with operating or riding an ATV in children under 18 years-old from over 100 emergency departments (EDs). Patient information regarding age, race, sex, location of incident, diagnoses, and sequelae were analyzed. We also collected the estimated number of ATV-related head injuries from all US EDs using the NEISS algorithm provided by the database. RESULTS: Using the NEISS algorithm we identified 67,957 (95% CI: 43,608 - 92,305) total pediatric ATV-related head injuries between 2012 and 2021. The annual incidence of ATV-related head injury was similar throughout this study period except for a 20% increase during the COVID-19 pandemic period of 2019-2021 (2019: 6382 injuries, 2020: 6757 injuries, 2021: 7600 injuries). A subset of 1890 cases from approximately 100 EDs were then analyzed. Unspecified closed head injuries were the prevailing type of injury (38%, 900/1890), followed by concussions (27%, 510/1890). More severe injuries included intracranial hemorrhages in 91 children (3.8%, 91/1890). Injuries of all types were predominantly seen in 14-17 year-old's (780/1890, 41%) and in males (64.1%, 1211/1890). In addition, ATV-associated injuries were significantly more common in those coded as white (58.0%, 1096/1890) than any other racial group. ATV-associated accidents among children younger than 9 more commonly occurred at the home compared to accidents involving children older than 9 (57% vs. 32%, p < 0.0001). CONCLUSION: ATV-related head injuries cause a significant annual burden among children, with growing incidence in recent years. Further research may wish to explore potential benefits of helmet use and supervision of younger children in possible prevention of these accidents and their associated economic and non-economic costs.

The burden of unhelmeted motorcycle injury: A nationwide scoring-based analysis of helmet safety legislation.

INTRODUCTION: Motorcycle collisions comprise a large portion of motor vehicle injuries and fatalities with over 80,000 injuries and 5,500 fatalities per year in the United States. Unhelmeted riders have poor medical outcomes and generate billions in costs. Despite helmet use having been shown to lower the risk of neurological injury and death, helmet compliance is not universal, and legislation concerning helmet use also varies widely across the United States. METHODS: In this study, we systematically reviewed helmet-related statutes from all US jurisdictions. We evaluated the stringency of these statutes using a legislative scoring system termed the Helmet Safety Score (HSS) ranging from 0-7 points, with higher scores denoting more stringent statutes. Regression modeling was used to predict unhelmeted mortality using our safety scores. RESULTS: The mean score across all jurisdictions was 4.73. We found jurisdictions with higher HSS's generally had lower percentages of unhelmeted fatalities in terms of total fatalities as well as per 100,000 people and 100,000 registered motorcycles. In contrast, some lower-scoring jurisdictions had over 100 times more unhelmeted fatalities than higher-scoring jurisdictions. Our HSS significantly predicted unhelmeted motorcycle fatalities per 100,000 people (ß = -0.228 per 1-point increase, 95% CI: -0.288 to -0.169, p < .0001) and per 100,000 registered motorcycles (ß = -6.17 per 1-point increase, 95% CI: -8.37 to -3.98, p < .0001) in each state. Aspects of our score concerning helmet exemptions for riders and motorcycle-type vehicles independently predicted higher fatalities (p < .0001). Higher safety scores predicted lower unhelmeted fatalities. CONCLUSION: Stringent helmet laws may be an effective mechanism for decreasing unhelmeted mortality. Therefore, universal helmet laws may be one such mechanism to decrease motorcycle-related neurological injury and fatality burden. In states with existing helmet laws, elimination of exemptions for certain riders and motorcycle-type vehicles may also decrease fatalities.

Antibiotic prophylaxis in penetrating traumatic brain injury: analysis of a single-center series and systematic review of the literature.

PURPOSE: Penetrating traumatic brain injury (pTBI) is an acute medical emergency with a high rate of mortality. Patients with survivable injuries face a risk of infection stemming from foreign body transgression into the central nervous system (CNS). There is controversy regarding the utility of antimicrobial prophylaxis in managing such patients, and if so, which antimicrobial agent(s) to use. METHODS: We reviewed patients with pTBI at our institution and performed a PRISMA systematic review to assess the impact of prophylactic antibiotics on reducing risk of CNS infection. RESULTS: We identified 21 local patients and 327 cases in the literature. In our local series, 17 local patients received prophylactic antibiotics; four did not. Overall, five of these patients (24%) developed a CNS infection (four and one case of intraparenchymal brain abscess and meningitis, respectively). All four patients who did not receive prophylactic antibiotics developed an infection (three with CNS infections; one superficial wound infection) compared to two of 17 (12%) patients who did receive prophylactic antibiotics. Of the 327 pTBI cases reported in the literature, 216 (66%) received prophylactic antibiotics. Thirty-eight (17%) patients who received antibiotics developed a CNS infection compared to 21 (19%) who did not receive antibiotics (p = 0.76). CONCLUSIONS: Although our review of the literature did not reveal any benefit, our institutional series suggested that patients with pTBI may benefit from prophylactic antibiotics. We propose a short antibiotic course with a regimen specific to cases with and without the presence of organic debris.

Disparities in hepatocellular carcinoma survival by Medicaid-status: A national population-based risk analysis.

BACKGROUND: Previous studies have demonstrated disparities in survival surrounding hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) across a variety of socio-demographic factors; however, the relationship between Medicaid-status and HCC survival is poorly understood. METHODS: We constructed 5-year, disease-specific survival curves using the Kaplan-Meier method and performed an adjusted survival analysis using multivariate Cox-proportional hazard regression. RESULTS: We analyzed 17,059 non-elderly patients (12,194 non-Medicaid, 4875 Medicaid) diagnosed between 2006 and 2013 and found that Medicaid status was not associated with higher risk of diseases-specific death compared to other insurance types (p = .232, aHR 1.02, 95% CI: 0.983-1.07) after for controlling for a variety of co-variates (ie. marital status, urbanicity, etc.). We found no difference in the risk of death between patients enrolled in Medicaid for more than three years versus those enrolled for less than three years. In all models, rurality and unmarried status were also associated with an increased risk of death (aHR 1.11, 95% CI: 1.03-1.18, p = .002 and aHR 1.18, 95% CI: 1.13-1.23, p < .001, respectively). DISCUSSION: Those enrolled in Medicaid prior to HCC diagnosis may not be associated with a higher risk of disease-specific death compared to non-Medicaid enrolled patients.

Influence of socioeconomic factors on discharge disposition following traumatic cervicothoracic spinal cord injury at level I and II trauma centers in the United States.

Background: Discharge to acute rehabilitation is strongly correlated with functional recovery after traumatic injury, including spinal cord injury (SCI). However, services such as acute care rehabilitation and Skilled Nursing Facilities (SNF) are expensive. Our objective was to understand if high-cost, resource-intensive post-discharge rehabilitation or alternative care facilities are utilized at disparate rates across socioeconomic groups after SCI. Methods: We performed a cohort analysis using the National Trauma Data Bank® tabulated from 2012-2016. Eligible patients had a diagnosis of cervical or thoracic spine fracture with spinal cord injury (SCI) and were treated surgically. We evaluated associations of sociodemographic and psychosocial variables with non-home discharge (e.g., discharge to SNF, other healthcare facility, or intermediate care facility) via multivariable logistic regression while correcting for injury severity and hospital characteristics. Results: We identified 3933 eligible patients. Patients who were older, male (OR=1.29 95% Confidence Interval [1.07-1.56], p=.007), insured by Medicare (OR=1.45 [1.08-1.96], p=.015), diagnosed with a major psychiatric disorder (OR=1.40 [1.03-1.90], p=.034), had a higher Injury Severity Score (OR=5.21 [2.96-9.18], p<.001) or a lower Glasgow Coma Score (3-8 points, OR=2.78 [1.81-4.27], p<.001) had a higher chance of a non-home discharge. The only sociodemographic variable associated with lower likelihood of utilizing additional healthcare facilities following discharge was uninsured status (OR=0.47 [0.37-0.60], p<.001). Conclusions: Uninsured patients are less likely to be discharged to acute rehabilitation or alternative healthcare facilities following surgical management of SCI. High out-of-pocket costs for uninsured patients in the United States may deter utilization of these services.

Cranial Irradiation for Childhood Cancers and Adult Risk of Meningioma.

INTRODUCTION: Following cranial irradiation, there is an increased risk of developing secondary neoplasms, especially meningiomas. Despite childhood cancer survivors who have undergone cranial irradiation having an increased risk of acquiring radiation-induced meningioma (RIM), there is no widely used standard guideline for meningioma screening. METHODS: At a single institution, we reviewed three adult survivors of childhood cancer who were treated for RIM between 2010 and 2020. We recorded age at diagnosis for the primary lesion, the radiation dose, age at RIM diagnosis, and tumor characteristics including treatment, pathology, and outcome. Two had had T-cell acute lymphocytic leukemia and one a rhabdomyosarcoma. The age of diagnosis of the RIM ranged from 20 to 40 years, with latencies ranging from 18 to 33 years. All lesions were classified as WHO Grade I meningiomas, and only 1 patient had a subsequent recurrence. A literature search identified articles that address RIM: a total of 684 cases were identified in 36 publications. RESULTS: Mean radiation doses ranged from 1.4 gray to 70 gray. Mean age of diagnosis for secondary meningioma ranged from 8 to 53.4 years old, with latency periods ranging from 2.8 to 44 years. Given variability in the way that investigators have published their results, it is difficult to make a single recommendation for RIM screening. Using our experience and the literature, we devised two different screening protocols and calculated their expense. CONCLUSIONS: We recommend that data be standardized in a registry to provide greater insight into the clinical and resource allocation questions, especially as long-term survival of children with pediatric cancer into full adulthood becomes more commonplace worldwide.

Motorcycle-Associated Ocular Injuries: A Narrative Review.

Purpose: Motorcycle-related injuries involving the eye and orbit are not well characterized, with a paucity of prospective studies focusing specifically on motorcycle-associated eye injuries nor literature reviews having been conducted on the subject. To better understand the injury types and descriptive characteristics of patients experiencing motorcycle-associated eye injuries, we sought to conduct a narrative review. Methods: The research team utilized the following databases: PubMed, EMBASE, and Web of Science to query for English articles from peer-reviewed journals that provided some patient data regarding eye injury due to motorcycle or moped accidents or usage. Results: A total of 65 studies were included in our qualitative synthesis. Of these studies, 40 (61.5%) were case reports, 20 retrospective case series (30.8%), and five (7.69%) were observational prospective studies. Among the 25 retrospective and prospective studies, 12 (48.0%) of these studies primarily focused on motorcycle-associated injuries. These 65 studies described a wide variety of motorcycle-associated eye injuries, including but not limited to orbital fractures and associated sequelae, foreign bodies, vitreoretinal trauma, neuro-ophthalmic trauma, corneal injuries, open globe injuries, lacerations, and globe avulsions. Conclusion: The current state of the literature indicates that knowledge regarding the ocular manifestations of motorcycle accidents is limited to mostly case reports and few retrospective cohort studies focused specifically on motorcycle-associated eye injuries. However, it is evident that the types of motorcycle-associated eye injuries are legion and predominantly seen in adult males, potentially leading to severe injuries and loss of vision and blindness.

Reliability of Time Domain AS-OCT in Measuring the Extraocular Rectus Muscle Insertion-Limbus Distances: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Purpose: The insertion-limbus distances of the extraocular muscles are clinically relevant in the preoperative planning of strabismus surgeries, especially in reoperations when information regarding insertion sites is not accessible to the surgeon. In this systematic review, we assess the reliability of time-domain anterior segment optical coherence tomography (TD AS-OCT) in determining insertion-limbus distances preoperatively by investigating prior studies that compare preoperative TD AS-OCT measurements of the insertion-limbus distances to those of calipers, which are assumed to be the gold standard. Methods: Systematically reviewing EMBASE, PubMed, Google Scholar, Science Direct, and Web of Science, 2 members screened for studies that compared preoperative TD AS-OCT measurements to those of intraoperative calipers, the gold standard. To assess the risk of bias for individual studies, the reviewers utilized the ROBINS-I tool, a Cochrane's collaboration tool used to assess bias in studies that are not randomized. For the meta-analysis, parallel forms reliability was examined and estimated as the Pearson product-moment correlation between TD AS-OCT measurements and surgical caliper measurements. Results: Six out of the seven eligible studies provided measures of reliability that were >0.7. These six records were eligible for meta-analysis. There was no evidence of a difference between means of TD AS-OCT and caliper measurements ( = 6.81, 95% CI [6.41, 7.22]; = 6.73, 95% CI [6.18, 7.29]; = 0.08, 95% CI [-0.44, 0.61]). Reliability was estimated to be good ( = 0.91) though the lower limit was slightly below the recommended minimum acceptable level of 0.70 (95% CI [0.65, >0.99]). Conclusion: In the setting of primary surgeries, TD AS-OCT has an acceptable reliability. However, there is insufficient data to conclude whether TD AS-OCT has an acceptable reliability in the setting of reoperations.

A 20-year nationwide analysis of golf-associated eye injuries in the United States.

PURPOSE: Existing knowledge regarding golf-associated eye injuries (GEIs) is sparse. The purpose of this study was to characterize the types of GEIs, examine the mechanisms of injury, describe the characteristics of GEI victims, and determine the incidence of GEIs during the 2002-2021 period using the National Electronic Injury Surveillance System (NEISS) database. METHODS: Deidentified patient records were analyzed. Each GEI was assigned into a specific category of diagnosis, and the mechanism of injury was determined. National estimates were collected for each year, and simple linear regression modeling was used to determine trends over time. Furthermore, patient variables for sex, race, and age were analyzed. RESULTS: The NEISS query provided a total of 379 GEIs for analysis. GEIs were most common in adult males, with a decreasing, although not statistically significant, trend during this period (ß = -17.88, p = 0.110). Children were more likely to have a GEI caused by a golf club while adults were more likely to have one caused by the surrounding environment. Across all age groups, contusions and corneal abrasions were the most common GEIs, constituting 50.4% (190/377) of all eye injuries, followed by foreign body injuries (9%, 34/377) and then irritation/inflammation of the eye (8%, 30/377). The most common mechanism of injury among all players involved adverse interactions with the environment (37.7%, 142/377). CONCLUSION: Contradictory to existing literature, we show that minor GEIs are more common than severe ones. Rather than golf clubs or balls, environmental elements are the leading cause of GEIs.